High Martial Arts: Enlightenment after Practices

Chapter 719: Chapter 695: Sweeping Through the Profound Abyssal Rift

If his rescue attempt failed, or if he took too long and was presumed trapped, other Grandmasters would step in.

Xu Wuyi finished reading the dossier, turned off the holographic screen, and leaned back in his chair. His mind was still processing the data, analyzing the variables, and weighing the upcoming challenge. Taking a deep breath, he stood up and walked out of the room.

In the living room, his parents were still watching television. Seeing her son come out, Mrs. Xu turned her head and asked, “What is it?”

Xu Wuyi walked over to the sofa and sat down beside his mother.

“Mom, Dad, I have to head out tomorrow.”

Mrs. Xu froze for a moment. “Where to?”

“There’s a mission,” Xu Wuyi said. “Something I need to handle.”

Mrs. Xu fell silent for a few seconds before nodding.

“Go ahead,” she said softly but firmly. “Stay safe.”

Father Xu chimed in from the side, “When will you be back?”

Xu Wuyi shook his head. “I’m not sure yet. It depends on the situation.”

Father Xu nodded, asking no further questions.

The family of three sat together on the sofa, watching the program on the screen without saying a word. After a long while, Mrs. Xu suddenly reached out and grasped her son’s hand. Her fingers were a bit cold but gripped him tightly.

“Make sure you come back safe,” she said.

Xu Wuyi looked at his mother and gave her a solemn nod.

“I will, Mom.”

Early the next morning, before the sun had even risen, Xu Wuyi got out of bed. He washed up simply, put on his dark gray combat suit, slung the Liaoyuan Long Spear onto his back, and set his personal terminal to standby mode.

When he walked out of his room, the lights in the living room were already on.

His mother was standing in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for him. Porridge simmered on the stove, an egg sizzled in the pan, and chopped scallions rested on the cutting board—everything was exactly as usual.

She stopped what she was doing, walked over to him, and reached out to adjust his collar. Her movements were incredibly gentle and slow, as if she were performing an exceptionally important task.

“Come back safe,” she whispered.

Xu Wuyi looked at her and nodded. Then he turned and walked out the door.

Outside, a military off-road vehicle was already waiting by the curb. Xu Wuyi pulled the door open and climbed inside. The vehicle slowly started up, driving out of Shanshui Manor and merging onto the high-speed transit line leading out of the city. It cruised smoothly along the tracks, the scenery outside the window blurring past.

More than two hours later, a familiar sight appeared ahead.

Rolling mountain ranges and dense forests came into view, and the air began to fill with faint energy fluctuations.

After another twenty minutes of driving, a checkpoint appeared on the road. Four automated turrets were arranged in a diamond formation, their dark barrels swiveling silently. Over ten fully armed soldiers guarded the barricade, their gazes as sharp as eagles.

Xu Wuyi presented the Recruitment Order. After passing through a triple-scan verification process, the gates slowly opened. However, unlike his previous visits, once the soldiers learned of his Grandmaster status, they all spontaneously saluted him.

The vehicle pressed deeper into the mountains. The further they went, the stronger the energy fluctuations became.

Finally, in an artificially cleared valley clearing, he once again laid eyes on the Profound Abyssal Rift frontline outpost.

The small military fortress still stood tall. Its twenty-meter-high alloy walls formed a defensive ring, bristling with automated defense weapons and Energy Shield Generators. Inside the perimeter, several grayish-white buildings were neatly scattered around a three-story central command tower.

And outside the walls, roughly five hundred meters deep into the valley—

That dark red Rift still pierced through the heavens and the earth.

But this time, the Rift looked completely different than before. It was no longer writhing calmly; instead, it twisted, expanded, and contracted violently, like a colossal beast thrashing on the verge of collapse. Massive ripples continuously surfaced across the Rift, spreading from its base all the way to its peak. Every single ripple was accompanied by terrifying energy fluctuations.

And directly in front of the Rift, the white figure that had originally been sitting cross-legged was gone.

In his place was a temporarily erected Energy Shield Generator, operating at maximum capacity in a desperate attempt to stabilize the collapsing anomaly.

Xu Wuyi pushed open the car door and stepped out. Standing at the entrance of the outpost, he stared at the violently twisting Rift, a heavy sense of oppression welling up in his chest.

The outpost was quiet—abnormally quiet.

Xu Wuyi frowned slightly. Logically speaking, upon the arrival of a Grandmaster Level combatant like himself, someone from the outpost should have come out to receive him. Even if Tang Xiuqi was tied up, he should have at least sent someone to greet him.

He strode toward the main gates of the outpost.

Just as he reached the entrance, the hurried sound of footsteps echoed from within. Soon after, two figures rushed out to meet him. When Xu Wuyi got a clear look at their faces, he was slightly taken aback.

Walking in front was Su Yueling. She wore the same plain, elegant martial arts suit, her black hair tied up in a ponytail, her features as aloof as ever. However, her complexion was much paler than before, and there was a noticeable exhaustion lingering in her eyes.

Yet, Xu Wuyi noticed that Su Yueling’s cultivation had progressed rapidly. Astonishingly, she was now an Innate Martial Artist. With her naturally powerful Spiritual Power, the step up to the Innate realm was indeed much easier for her than it was for others.

Following right behind her was Zhao Kun, the Innate Martial Artist who specialized in defense and frontal assaults. His left arm was wrapped in thick bandages, under which faint traces of blood could be seen seeping through. His footsteps were also somewhat unsteady as he walked.

The two of them came to a halt in front of Xu Wuyi and bowed simultaneously.

“Grandmaster Xu.”

Seeing the state they were in, Xu Wuyi felt an ominous premonition rise in his heart. He waved his hand, gesturing for them to skip the formalities, and asked directly, “Where is Senior Brother Tang?”

Su Yueling looked up, a flash of complicated emotion passing over her face.